Ditch the safe nudes and black eyeliner - it's time to taste the rainbow
Today I bring you a potted guide to working bright, unusual and seemingly awkward colour. While au naturel beauty was undoubtedly en vogue on the SS15 catwalks, there were peeks of rebellious pigment and paint to offset the beige. Jaffa Cake lips, sapphire eyes and pink eyeshadow all shook up the muted seasonal makeup palette.
Sure, tangerine lips and salmon-hued eyes might not be at the top of your cosmetic to-do list, but bear with me here people. It pays to think outside of the beauty box. Take a risk, throw caution to the wind and embrace the unknown this spring - I promise you the compliments will flood in. And if they don’t? Feel free to berate me in the comment box below or run away and join the circus. They’ll appreciate your off-the-wall makeup look and you’ll have the time of your life. Not that clown face is what we’re going for here. Wearing a flash of unexpected colour with panache is an art, but once perfected you will look SO COOL. Let’s be honest, nude was never the life and soul of the party…
Orange Lips
As seen at: Rag & Bone, Prabal Gurung, DKNY, DSquared2
Peach, coral, even carrot - no shade is no-go where the orange lip is concerned. Makeup artist Gucci Westman is the leading light of the orange lip league, having created the rave-worthy matte neon lip look at Rag & Bone. Further proving that the future’s orange, Revlon Global Artistic Director Westman incorporated the much-neglected yet supremely flattering and fun hue into the brand’s SS14 Rio Rush collection. Super Lustrous Lipstick in Carnival Spirit , £7.49, will bring the party to your face and is surprisingly wearable on all skintones. As in many situations in life, a tan does help matters, but it’s not a prerequisite for juicy, fruity, Brazilian inspired beauty. However, a lip brush and liner are recommended, to avoid looking like you’ve been at the Wotsits. For child’s play application and a velvety finish, opt for ColorBurst Crayon Matte Balm in Mischievous, £7.99. Its cheeky name and cantaloupe tint can’t fail to boost your spirits.
When veering away from your classic red and staple nude it’s always comforting to have an expert holding your hand and guiding the way. Enter Poppy King, aka, The Lipstick Queen. Her new Jungle Queen lipstick , £20, is a vibrant ‘papaya’ shade, designed to compliment not only the wearer’s countenance but also their outfit. Apparently, when worn alongside leopard prints, Jungle Queen ‘pops’. Pat Butcher would be pleased, especially seeing as it’s semi-sheer, nourishing and a doddle to carry off. I didn’t road test it with the wildest of wardrobes, but I can confirm that it’s in pole position to displace my trusty scarlet lippy. Worn with a pared-down base, it looks sophisticated, modern and more than a little bit delicious. I predict that the tropical lip trend has lasting power…
Blue Eyeliner
As seen at: Marc Jacobs, Tess Giberson
A bolt from the blue struck models worldwide during the SS14 catwalk season, and there was no chicer way to wear it than a slash of sapphire along the waterline. Striking, summery and super easy to apply, a flash of blue lights up the eyes and makes your usual smoky kohl seem just a weeny bit safe. If that hasn’t convinced you, over to makeup artist maestro Daniel Sandler:
“Applying liquid liner to create a flick on the upper lid always adds instant glamour but applying a vibrant colour under the lower lash line adds a modern twist .The secret to keeping this look on-trend is to apply a bright pencil or cream to powder shadow under the lower lashes so it contrasts against skin tone and eye colour. A good tip is to keep the upper lid lined with dramatic black to give it that Retro Hollywood finish”
Daniel’s very own Long Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner in Aqua Velvet , £9.25, creates vivid blue definition, but if you’re feeling shy about dipping your toes into the turquoise trend try a trace of royal blue until you’re feeling braver.
Pink Eyeshadow
As seen at: Burberry. That’s all the encouragement we need.
Carrying pink eyes off with aplomb is probably the trickiest look in this line up, and when even acclaimed makeup artists have reservations on the rosy eye front you know you’re in for a challenge (Florrie White admitted to me last week that it’s the one thing that she wasn’t a big fan of). Burberry, however, managed to change both Florrie’s mind and ours, along with a little help from their English Rose collection. The dusky, luminescent pinks of the Complete Eye Palette in Rose 10 , £40, were blended into the eye socket by Burberry Makeup Artistic Consultant Wendy Rowe and the result was less painful eye infection, more pretty flower girl. If attempting a romantic rose gaze à la Suki yourself, buff a creamy, warm pink shadow all over the eye socket and don’t scrimp on the mascara. I found that adding a bronze-brown shadow liner at the base of the lashes added depth, but if you’re a blue or green-eyed girl a haze of pink will make your eyes sparkle with very little effort.
If you’re still craving colour, I give you Chanel’s spring/summer warpaint (above centre)
You know, just the perfect casual meet-the-parents look when a swipe of psychedelic liner won’t cut it…
In all seriousness Chanel’s latest Le Volume de Chanel Waterproof mascara offering in Vert Gris , £25, is a very alluring grey-green that makes an interesting change from the usual black, while their summer lash offerings are designed to light up the eyes in conjunction with your everyday mascara. Mascara Inimitable, £25, is available from 6th June in Violet Touch and Orange Touch. Soon to be flaunted in a festival field near you.
Will you be adding a touch of risqué colour to your beauty regime this spring? Have you tried any of the above and pulled it off (or failed miserably!)? Let me know in the comment box below or tweet me @AnnaMaryHunter